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There was a thread a few days ago (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15527849 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15527849) about how much more important di

by huac 9y ago

There was a thread a few days ago (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15527849 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15527849) about how much more important diet is than exercise to maintaining weight.

valuearb 9y ago
For the last three months I've been lifting weights 2-3 times a week, doing an hour of hiking up local mountains 2-3 times a week, and a jiu jitsu class once a week. I've lost maybe 3 lbs.
- Someone 9y ago
  You may have lost more than that in fat and gained some muscle. The goal of exercise or diet shouldn’t be to lose weight; it should be to increase fitness and to decrease body fat percentage.
  - valuearb 9y ago
    My chest, shoulders and arms are bigger, but still pot bellied. Gonna take forever to get rid of that.
Obi_Juan_Kenobi 9y ago
It tends to be that way because, to most people, it's much easier to e.g. forego 100 calories of eating than it is to burn 100 calories through exercise. The end result, though, is quite similar as far as weight loss is concerned. But weight loss and weight maintenance are different, with the former being a temporary intervention and likely a top life priority for the duration. As far as maintaining weight, this is much more about habits than anything else; many of us (certainly those with weight issues) will tend toward overeating if allowed. Regular mealtimes, recipe planning, and even calorie counting can work to mitigate this tendency. Exercise, too, is often a very important part of this; many find it easier to maintain a target weight while keeping an exercise regimen. Part of it may simply be that those who are disciplined or otherwise able to get regular exercise may also have better eating habits. But I think there is another effect that makes it easier to maintain a calorie balance when you have regular exercise.
liberte82 9y ago
I think this is one of those things that isn't so simple to separate as we think. A big reason that people are attracted to unhealthy foods is because they taste good and are immediately satisfying. They are, in essence, a coping mechanism - something that makes us feel better (temporarily). Exercise can be a healthier remedy to bad food to making you feel better. When you exercise and are feeling better, you are naturally more inclined to be attracted to healthier, more wholesome foods. I expect that, for many people, it's not a simple matter to just eat better in and of itself, and stick to it. Stress and bad feelings need to find a coping mechanism, and they will find one, whether healthy or unhealthy - it really can't be avoided. You need to either reduce your stress, or find healthier coping.

by huac 9y ago

valuearb 9y ago

For the last three months I've been lifting weights 2-3 times a week, doing an hour of hiking up local mountains 2-3 times a week, and a jiu jitsu class once a week. I've lost maybe 3 lbs.

Someone 9y ago
You may have lost more than that in fat and gained some muscle. The goal of exercise or diet shouldn’t be to lose weight; it should be to increase fitness and to decrease body fat percentage.
- valuearb 9y ago
  My chest, shoulders and arms are bigger, but still pot bellied. Gonna take forever to get rid of that.

Obi_Juan_Kenobi 9y ago

It tends to be that way because, to most people, it's much easier to e.g. forego 100 calories of eating than it is to burn 100 calories through exercise. The end result, though, is quite similar as far as weight loss is concerned. But weight loss and weight maintenance are different, with the former being a temporary intervention and likely a top life priority for the duration. As far as maintaining weight, this is much more about habits than anything else; many of us (certainly those with weight issues) will tend toward overeating if allowed. Regular mealtimes, recipe planning, and even calorie counting can work to mitigate this tendency. Exercise, too, is often a very important part of this; many find it easier to maintain a target weight while keeping an exercise regimen. Part of it may simply be that those who are disciplined or otherwise able to get regular exercise may also have better eating habits. But I think there is another effect that makes it easier to maintain a calorie balance when you have regular exercise.

liberte82 9y ago

I think this is one of those things that isn't so simple to separate as we think. A big reason that people are attracted to unhealthy foods is because they taste good and are immediately satisfying. They are, in essence, a coping mechanism - something that makes us feel better (temporarily). Exercise can be a healthier remedy to bad food to making you feel better. When you exercise and are feeling better, you are naturally more inclined to be attracted to healthier, more wholesome foods. I expect that, for many people, it's not a simple matter to just eat better in and of itself, and stick to it. Stress and bad feelings need to find a coping mechanism, and they will find one, whether healthy or unhealthy - it really can't be avoided. You need to either reduce your stress, or find healthier coping.